Beauty queen says she's shocked by $5 million ruling
PITTSBURGH (AP) - A Pennsylvania beauty queen who resigned after alleging that the Miss USA pageant had been fixed says she is stunned by an arbitrator's ruling that she must pay the pageant organization $5 million for defamation.
Former Miss Pennsylvania USA Sheena Monnin tells the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (http://bit.ly/UfGJ8P ) that the "most logical course" would be to contest the ruling, but she's considering her options.
Arbitrator Theodore Katz says Monnin's allegations that finalists had been selected in advance were false, harmful and malicious and cost the pageant a $5 million fee from a potential 2013 sponsor.
Monnin points to a Miss USA contract clause giving top pageant officials the power to pick the top five finalists and the winner, but a company official calls that a catch-all that's never been used.
Former Miss Pennsylvania USA Sheena Monnin tells the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (http://bit.ly/UfGJ8P ) that the "most logical course" would be to contest the ruling, but she's considering her options.
Arbitrator Theodore Katz says Monnin's allegations that finalists had been selected in advance were false, harmful and malicious and cost the pageant a $5 million fee from a potential 2013 sponsor.
Monnin points to a Miss USA contract clause giving top pageant officials the power to pick the top five finalists and the winner, but a company official calls that a catch-all that's never been used.
Perhaps she should ask the reluctant sponsor to cough up the $5 million.
That's a man.
Remember, beauty is only skin deep!
mmmm twigs and plastic.
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just declare bankruptcy and then think before you speak next time.
I don't watch these things... seriously a beauty contest is pointless when seriously whatever folks see as 'beauty' changes like the wind - in this age of photoshop, and digital enhancement honestly I am skeptical of any magazine cover I see in the store... personally my wife is beautiful to me and she does not need any help with make up or anything. These sort of contests should be removed entirely as all they are is advertising outlets to separate people from their money as they try to 'buy' that NEW LOOK... what a joke...
 @Freespeech Sort of like a horse show... which my father defined as a bunch of horses showing their @sses to a bunch of @sses showing their horses...
Seriously, first the implants, the nose job, the surgical reshaping... then all the praise of "natural beauty". Mostly breeds unfulfillable lust: in men of unrealistic expectations for their partners, and in women of unrealistic expectations for their own bodies.
However, when the organization's own rules state that they MAY preselect finalists - and the contestant simply points out that they seem to have done precisely that - I think the $5 million is mere extortion and retribution for daring to spill the beans on cheating. Time for another Congressional investigation like the one that brought down several early TV game shows? I think so. Looks like this organization is simply preying on young women's vanity and immaturity - it is a scam.
I am sure either daddy or some sugar daddy will pay it off for her. She has never really worked a full in her entire life! I bet she cannot even make a simple breakfast since the maids make her meals and her bed as well...
 @tiger62 I don't know about her work history, but she does have a Masterâs Degree in Psychology, although it's from the University of Phoenix.
 @tiger62 I was thinking the same thing until I read the part about the clause actually being in the contract. She shouldn't have to pay a penny.
I she could only get her money back on her boob job, she could almost afford to repay her $5M debt.
she needs a good spanking!
 @rjsupersonic I will sacrifice myself and do it!
who cares?
@Komo Dragon  No one cares about the story..........we just want more pictures.
Its a old story but thats still a mighty fine banner...
she's too pretty to pay.
Okay, so she "alleges" that Miss U.S.A. is doing precisely what their contract explicitly states they have the "right" to do (...it explicitly states that they have the "right" to preselect "finalists" and "winners") and Miss U.S.A. accuses HER of causing THEM "damage"??? Sorry, but I don't buy it.
Nothing attractive about this phony.Â
 @Isadora It could be just the photo and/or lighting, but she looks literally like a little girl's plastic doll here, not like a live person.Â
She's probably gorgeous naturally or with the right makeup, but this isn't doing her justice.Â
How about that, dumb as a stump and not even blonde. What's the gossip mill coming to.
She was told by one of her opponents that it was all a fake and that the winner had already been picked. Based on that bit of word-of-mouth she quit and then went on to shoot her mouth off to any news outlet that would listen (thatâs all of them folks). These little sweeties arenât picked for brains. There is a lesson here for the brain dead. Donât mess with the âDonald'sâ cheese cake factory.  Â
 @oldster70 Was her opponent actually trying to get her to quit, or just throw her off her game and shake her self-confidence hoping for a slight edge?Â
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I would guess the latter and the competitor just won the lottery in its unexpected result, but then again I'm boggled anyone could be so incredibly stupid and self-sabotaging as to walk out on the say so of one of the only people on the planet who would benefit from such a moronic move.Â
 @oldster70 Wait, she actually dropped OUT of the competition before it was officially over, based on the unverified word of her opponent??!!?
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How could anyone possibly be that dense?? And don't these women have several handlers at this point, to protect them from themselves as much as from the many freaks these competitions bring out of the woodwork?Â
Did anyone on her so-called team of helpers even try to stop her or reason with her?Â
@MargeGunderson @oldster70  From my understanding, she never dropped out, but I could be wrong. My understanding was that she was in one of the first groups to cut and was bitter. Maybe she did quit, but that seems hard to believe. I thought that she was just a sore loser.Â
@lakeview@MargeGunderson
I very well could have my timing a bit out, but she did base her claims on what someone told her rather than any facts. It was my understanding that she quit, but I am just as bad as she is, and basing that on my (often) faulty memory.Â
 @lakeview Thanks, that sounds a lot more plausible and less destructive than walking before you've actually lost for sure.Â
How can these "meat markets" be defamed? How could anyone take them seriously?
She should ask Nancy Kerrigan what loose lips will do for one's career. And Kerrigan, at least, had a real talent.
 @Nic Stevens I thought Nancy K's downfall (since points can't be deducted for being annoying) was a loose kneecap? Or loosened kneecap, to be more specific.Â
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LMAO! So, you want to open your uneducated mouth! Now you will have to do things, you didn't ever think you would do, just to pay for it! OUCH!
The Bunny Ranch is always hiring.
I wouldn't be surprised if she's right, but sometimes you have to have sense enough to keep your mouth shut. Some things are worth risking your neck over. A beauty pageant isn't one of them.
A couple months at Brazzers will pay that off.
 @jelisized Or one month in Playboy?
 @MargeGunderson That wouldn't be as fun for me.
 @jelisized That's OK; I don't think Hugh Hefner was too set on signing you anyway. :^DÂ
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The whole point of arbitration is to have a final ruling by an independent body.  When she entered the pageant, she agreed to arbitration if there was a future dispute. You are bound to their decision.  Good luck contesting it.
 She is a perfect example of young people these days completely misunderstanding the idea of free speech. Yeah you have free speech, but that doesn't mean you are immune from the consequences of that speech. Â
 @lakeview The Constitution pretty clearly states that in matters involving $20 or more, you have a right to trial by jury. Arbitration is merely a means companies use to intimidate people.
@JLS1950Â Â She entered a legally binding contract to resolve any future dispute through arbitration.Â
 @lakeview NOTHING can stop her from appealing the decision - especially given that the "award" is against HER and is this large. If she were seeking damaged from Miss U.S.A., then it would be slightly different and arbitration would be hard to fight. But given that Miss U.S.A. went out for her, the matter is absolutely appeal-able into Superior Court and perhaps even directly to Federal court.
 @lakeview If some of these free speech idiots would stop waving the Constitution around long enough to actually read it, they would learn exactly that.Â
I do highly value the First Amendment; I just wish more people understood and respected the spirit of it.Â
@MargeGunderson @lakeview Kind of like we all have the right to remain silent, but how many actually have the ability?